The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell to the Washington Commanders in the Wild Card Round, 23-20 on Sunday night. In the playoff spotlight, future Hall of Fame wide receiver Mike Evans posted a legendary performance. He led the Buccaneers with seven receptions for 92 yards and a touchdown. Evans caught every ball thrown his direction and tied the game at 10 in the second quarter on a one-yard touchdown against Marshon Lattimore.
Right before the play, Evans drew a defensive pass interference penalty on Lattimore, which set the Bucs up at the one-yard-line. Evans then faked on his release like he was going to work outside to catch the fade – his trademark – and once Lattimore took the bait, Evans transitioned inside on a slant for the score. Often regarded for his efficiency in high-point situations or go/post routes, Evans showcased his savviness as a route runner against the Commanders.
He had several out-breakers throughout the game that moved the chains and had a sensational third-down catch in which he extended one arm backwards to cross the first-down threshold. Evans worked the field at every level and spearheaded the Bucs' aerial attack. Despite missing three games due to a hamstring injury, Evans finished the 2024 regular season campaign tied for fourth in the NFL with 11 receiving touchdowns, and he accumulated 74 receptions for 1,004 yards.
In eclipsing 1,000 yards, Evans tied Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice for the most consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons in NFL history (11) and surpassed Randy Moss (10) for the second-most total 1,000-yard seasons in league history behind only Rice (14). The Bucs were 10-2 in games in which Evans had five-or-more targets and were 0-3 during the stretch Evans was inactive due to injury.
Defensive coordinators routinely roll the safety lined up over the top to his side of the field – the mark of a gamewrecker. When isolated in man-to-man with no safety help, Baker Mayfield finds Evans. He created subtle separation in the playoff showdown and showcased his reliable hands and physicality over the middle of the field. The Bucs may not have come out victorious in the Wild Card clash, but Evans produced a vintage performance between the hashes.
